Let’s say we’re deciding between the keywords “Provo car dealership” and “Provo car dealerships.” We can use a couple of free keyword tools provided by Google to help determine which one would be the best to target while simultaneously discovering the difference of singular and plural versions.

First, let’s see what the Google AdWords Keyword Tool reveals as we compare:

As you can see from the image above, there is a difference in advertiser competition, local search volume, and global search volume in favor of the pluralized keyword “Provo car dealerships.” Even though this tool is focused for PPC campaigns, I feel that it is also useful for your SEO efforts in general.

Next, we’ll look at a comparison on Google Insights:

Even though there wasn’t any data for Provo specifically (Salt Lake City was the only metro available), the data for Utah revealed that the pluralized version (car dealerships) did receive more organic search volume than the singular version (car dealership). Furthermore, in the ‘Interest over time’ section, it seems that the gap has widened between the two during the whole year of 2009. My guess would be that this trend continues into 2010 and beyond.

Lastly, let’s take a look at the first search engine results page on Google for “Provo car dealership”:

Now, let’s compare the image above to the one below for “Provo car dealerships”:

Starting at the very top of the image, all of the local maps results are either different listings or in a different order when comparing the singular and plural keyword results. Obviously, this is pretty significant to note if you’re targeting a keyword with a local (city) qualifier.

Next, you’ll notice that seven of the 10 search results are in a different order, with the two last results being different websites altogether. This finding further reveals that entering in a singular keyword will display different search results than plural keywords.

It’s also interesting to see that the search results for the singular keyword bolded both “dealership” and “dealerships,” as well as “dealers” and “dealer” (and vice versa with the plural keyword).

Other Findings: Singular vs. Plural Keywords

In my experience with determining keywords for clients or personal websites, I have observed the same trends as displayed above. I’ve noticed that it’s important to determine which keyword receives the most search volume (i.e., what users type in the most), as well as what’s most realistic to target and rank for.

For example, perhaps the singular version of your desired keyword receives less search volume than the pluralized version, but has half of the competition. It might be worth it in the long run to target the singular version, as it could be easier to rank for on search engines. (And as you saw in the images above, you still might be able to rank for the plural keyword as well.)

Conclusion

Long story short, yes, there is a difference between singular and plural keywords and it can make a pretty significant difference in your online marketing campaign, whether it is SEO, PPC, or Google Maps.

I’m sure there are numerous tests you can try with different keywords. I’d be interested to see what anyone else can find and share.

Choosing a quality keyword can be a daunting task. Targeting a keyword that doesn’t have search volume, yield relevant visitor traffic, or that is too competitive for your budget are a few issues you must avoid in order to have a successful SEO campaign. So, where do you begin?

Search Volume

First, I think it’s helpful to know if there are any people actually searching for the keyword in question. For general SEO purposes, it’s best to target a keyword that individuals type in when looking for your service or product (unless you’re trying to brand a company name). Obviously, if no one is searching for your keyword, it’s almost pointless to put effort into ranking for it.

One great source to get started on keyword research is the Google AdWords Keyword Tool. Although primarily for pay-per-click (PPC) ad campaigns, the tools still displays valuable data and keyword trends that can be helpful for your SEO keyword brainstorming.

Relevant Traffic

Let’s say that you narrowed your keyword list to about 10 choices. Now all you have to do is target the ones with the most search volume, right? Well, that is one way to go about selecting keywords. But I’ve found that it’s highly beneficial to focus on a keyword that is more relevant to a particular product/service, even if it generates less search volume overall (when compared to others on your list).

For example, suppose that ‘keyword x’ receives 1,000 searches a month, but is a general category (‘cars’). Then, presume that ‘keyword y’ receives 300 searches a month, but is a more narrowed search (such as ‘used Ford cars’ or a any other particular car model). Sure, your website could possibly receive more traffic targeting ‘keyword x’, but ‘keyword y’ could produce a higher probability for a sale, which is the number one goal for most SEO marketing campaigns.

This method could yield more sales because a more specific keyword (i.e., ‘used Ford cars’ instead of just ‘cars’) usually means that the searcher has narrowed down their focus: used and not new; Ford and not any other brand; and cars instead of trucks or SUVs. If your website has a landing page that satisfies this search, the chances are that you’ll be successful.

Too Competitive

At times, you’ll come across a keyword that you’ll want to target, but may be too competitive to realistically rank well for (i.e., first page of search engines). There are numerous factors that can result in this setback, such as the competition has an on-going, aggressive online marketing campaign or you don’t have a sufficient enough budget to compete with the competition.

In any case, there are usually enough variations of keywords that you can still have your website rank for something relevant. A good plan is to initially focus on a keyword that’s still in line with your online goals, but less competitive. After your website ranks well for that, you should then have a better opportunity for success targeting the more competitive keywords, as your website will have created some history and authority on search engines within the niche.

Though not a comprehensive list, the aforementioned points should be a great starting point for determining keywords.